/Trump admin weighs letting states, cities deny entry to refugees approved for resettlement in U.S.

Trump admin weighs letting states, cities deny entry to refugees approved for resettlement in U.S.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering a new policy that would allow state and local jurisdictions to deny entry to refugees who have been approved for resettlement in the United States, according to a draft of an executive order obtained by NBC News.

According to the draft, “the federal government will resettle refugees only where both the relevant state and local governments have consented to participate” in the program that allows refugees to resettle.

The plans are currently out for review by lawyers and counterparts at various government agencies, a senior DHS official said.

If a state or local jurisdiction does not agree to take in refugees, the federal government will have to find another location, according to the draft. An exception to this rule would be made in the case of resettling spouses or children of refugees already settled.

Refugee rights organizations have long advocated for refugees to be relocated in areas where there are already refugees of the same country living to create a sense of community for those fleeing violence and persecution.

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